just received this email We have some exciting news to share. Thanks to everyone’s hard work and efforts, we are able to expand our team! We haven’t fully funded the UK position (if you want to help us get to our goal, go here), but there is too much happening to wait! We will be hiring a UK Outreach and Advocacy Coordinator on a temporary contract with the possibility of extension! We’re also hiring a US Advocacy Program Manager and are seeking 2 volunteer positions - a US lawyer to join our Board of Directors, and a UK lawyer willing to volunteer with us to help us set up a UK charity! Please share with friends or apply yourself! UK Outreach & Advocacy Coordinator We are looking for a part or full-time UK Outreach & Advocacy Coordinator to support our volunteers’ efforts to raise awareness about ME, advocate to Parliament, and improve patients’ quality of care. This is a three-month contract position with the possibility of extension. This is a project management role. You would be tasked with leading a largely volunteer team, defining and implementing processes and timelines to achieve a vision for change, with strategic input from experienced patient advocates. You will also be building a diverse range partnerships including with national ME charities, local patient organisations, and other medical, healthcare, scientific and disability rights organisations. Click here to read the full description and apply. Please note that the UK position is a three-month contract position. As you may or may not know, #MEAction has been fundraising to be able to hire much-needed help in the UK. While we have raised enough funds to hire someone temporarily, we would love to have someone to help support our outreach and advocacy efforts full-time. Please consider giving what you can to help make this dream a reality. Donate to our UK fundraiser Volunteer: UK Lawyer We are currently seeking a lawyer in the United Kingdom who can provide pro bono legal advice in relation to registering #MEAction UK as a charity. Please email Executive Director, Jen Brea with a resume and letter of interest at jennifer@meaction.net. Use the subject line: "Volunteer: UK Lawyer" US Advocacy Program Manager We are looking for a full-time US Advocacy Program Manager, ideally based in Los Angeles or Washington, DC, to support our efforts to advocate before Congress. Our Congressional team’s mission is to engage Congress to advocate on our behalf with the Executive Branch; pass legislation and increase funding for ME and CFS; and to support our community in building public awareness. This is a project management role. You would be tasked with: 1) recruiting and leading a large volunteer team, and 2) defining and implementing processes and timelines to achieve political change, with strategic input from experienced patient advocates. Click here to read the full description and apply. Board of Directors: US Lawyer We are currently seeking an experienced lawyer to join our Board of Directors. The Board consults the organization’s Executive Director in all areas including operations, communications, finances and development. We are specifically interested in candidates who have experience in finance, intellectual property, copyright, health law, disability rights, and/ or non-profits. Candidates should have experience volunteering for a nonprofit organization and a passion for #MEAction mission to advocate for ME health equality. The Board of Directors meets monthly virtually and once a year in person. Board meetings are traditionally held on the 2nd Monday of every month (subject to change). Being on our board requires a minimum 1 year commitment. Please email Executive Director, Jen Brea with a resume and letter of interest at jennifer@meaction.net. Use the subject line: "Board of Directors: US Lawyer". This is a very exciting time for us at #MEAction and we hope you can help us find the right person for each of these positions! Thanks kindly, Laurie Jones Managing Director #MEAction
Does anyone know any UK lawyers to tag? @Valerie Eliot Smith? Anyone else? Very pleased they're not waiting to get the UK position fully funded before recruiting.
No. There are some quite easy processes. But I suspect a large charity needs a lawyer. Pages on setting up a charity https://www.gov.uk/topic/running-charity/setting-up Model constitution - based on an association model which has voting members. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...ile/562468/Association_Model_Constitution.pdf There is a structure called a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) which tries to make it easy to set up a charity with limited liability (as in a company). I need to revisit these soon but from what I remember it was pretty easy, you basically need to decide on some things around a model and have a constitution. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/charity-types-how-to-choose-a-structure
I don't know. I've heard it's quite arduous, but this suggests it's easy (and doesn't require a lawyer): https://knowhownonprofit.org/how-to/how-to-get-started-guide
What's tricky is the campaigning part. You're not allowed to be political if you're a charity. A lawyer can help you avoid complications when you campaign.
Thank you for the tag, Sasha. I'd seen the adverts and, for various reasons, I'm not getting involved. Charity law is a specialist area and not one I'm very familiar with. They will need appropriate legal advice; setting up a charity can be a complicated process with pitfalls which can only be navigated safely by getting an expert involved. Thanks and best wishes to all.